Capitol raised a few eyebrows when they signed indie stalwarts the Decemberists. There's nothing blatantly commercial about the Portland quintet, from Colin Meloy's quavery voice and hyper-literate lyrics to the band's wide-ranging music, which encompasses baroque pop, prog rock, and dozens of other styles. Then again, he did once sing, "I was made for the stage," and those who've seen the group live know this to be true. Sure, they're storytellers, but they're entertainers, too--just not in the Top 40 sense. Never ones to play it safe, their major label debut takes its inspiration from a Japanese folk tale. It travels from the Replacements-style balladry of "The Crane Wife 3"--which joins words like "Each feather it fell from skin/'Til threadbare while she grew thin" to the melody from "Here Comes a Regular"--to the ELP hoedown of three-part epic "The Island" to the haunting duet between Meloy and Laura Veirs on "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)." It's an impressively eclectic effort that somehow manages to avoid sounding scattered. Co-produced by Chris Walla (Death Cab for Cutie) and Tucker Martine (the Long Winters), the Decemberists' fourth full-length is richer, less immediately catchy than its predecessor (there's nothing as bouncy here as Picaresque's "Sixteen Military Wives"). It's also a deeper work that resists snap judgments. Some records hit you over the head with their brilliance, others need time to percolate. Time will tell if The Crane Wife is the Decemberists' best album--it's certainly their most ambitious so far.

Our Review:

The Decemberists' fourth full-length album, and their first for a major record label, is, in my opinion, their best album to date. What's great about "The Crane Wife" is that it has a major record label sound without sacrificing the style that made The Decemberists the great, unique band that they are.

The album begins slowly, with the haunting acoustic ballad turned full-speed solemn sing-along, "The Crane Wife, Pt. 3." The song is classic Decemberists, but accessible enough that you'll undoubtedly find yourself singing "I will hang my head, hang my head low" with Colin, even if it's only your first time listening to the song. It's a great lead-off track, and really builds the momentum that lasts through most of the album. That momentum runs head-on into "The Island," a three-part 12 1/2 minute epic that instantly captivating and enjoyable.

"Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, as it features a beautiful duet between Colin and Laura Veirs. Of course, when I say beautiful, I'm not speaking of an R&B/Whitney Houston type of duet. Despite what many will undoubtedly say of them, The Decemberists have not "sold out" on this album. They've simply refined their sound, and made it more pleasant, with the help of Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla, who serves as producer on this album. But I digress...

Moving along, the next two tracks on the album have a great chance of launching The Decemberists into levels of fame that they have not yet experienced. The first of these, "O Valencia!" is an upbeat, love song that features a nice Meloyian twist. Colin laments "O Valencia with your blood still warm on the ground, Valencia! And I swear to the stars I'll burn this whole city down!" It's initially a fun song, but after taking a look at the lyrics, you realize that it's actually quite sad. Regardless, it's fantastic. The next song, "The Perfect Crime No. 2" is by far my favorite track on the album. In it, Meloy discusses, as the tile suggests, "The Perfect Crime" over an almost funk-ish bassline. Then new Decemberist sound is in full-force here, and it's an absolute joy to listen to.

"When the War Came" is the next track, and it will blow you away with the sheer amount of energy that it forces out in its 5 minutes. Unlike most songs by The Decemberists, this one features an incredibly angry sounding electric guitar and equally as aggressive drumming. At the end of the song, they syncopate as Colin echoes forcefully "With all the grain of Babylon..." It is without a doubt the most angry song to come from the band, but it's also one of the best.

For classic Decemberists fans, "The Shankhill Butchers" will be a favorite. It's really the only time that the album dies down for an entire track, but it is still a really great song. Like almost all of the band's songs, it tells a story. In this case, it takes the form of an English murder ballad. If any song on the album could be considered a "shout out" to the band's longtime fans, its this one.

The album wraps up fairly nicely. "Summersong" once again picks things up a notch, but the real standout is "The Crane Wife, Pts. 1 & 2," which obviously tell the first two parts of the story of The Crane Wife. Pt. 1 is more of a celebration over the crane whom the narrator marries, while Pt. 2 laments his treatment of her. Each part is brilliant in its own right, but Pt. 2 stands out as the most beautiful part of the album and poignantly renders the last song on the album, "Sons & Daughters" negligible. It's a great track, and well suited as a closing song, but it's place as a follow-up to "The Crane Wife, Pt. 2" is a tough one.

Overall, I'd say that The Decemberists have really made the transition onto a major record label quite flawlessly. They have crafted an album that stands out as one of the best albums of the year and probably their own personal best. For Decemberists fans who are a bit worried about what kind of difference the leap has made, stop. The fantastic storytelling is still here, only with more heart, and Colin Meloy's unique form of sensationalist lyrics are still here as well. This is, after all, an album by The Decemberists. Only now, more people will know that. And I couldn't be happier!

Key Tracks:
1. "The Island"
2. "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)"
3. "O Valencia!"
4. "The Perfect Crime"
5. "The Crane Wife, Pts. 1 &2"


5 out of 5 Stars